diff --git a/src/blocked.c b/src/blocked.c
index 12b1ebdc4..b1731e552 100644
--- a/src/blocked.c
+++ b/src/blocked.c
@@ -269,7 +269,7 @@ void handleClientsBlockedOnKeys(void) {
              * that) without the risk of it being freed in the second
              * lookup, invalidating the first one.
              * See https://github.com/antirez/redis/pull/6554. */
-            server.call_depth++;
+            server.fixed_time_expire++;
             updateCachedTime(0);
 
             /* Serve clients blocked on list key. */
@@ -467,8 +467,7 @@ void handleClientsBlockedOnKeys(void) {
                     }
                 }
             }
-
-            server.call_depth--;
+            server.fixed_time_expire--;
 
             /* Free this item. */
             decrRefCount(rl->key);
diff --git a/src/db.c b/src/db.c
index 3a66d2b45..e5a672a5c 100644
--- a/src/db.c
+++ b/src/db.c
@@ -1151,7 +1151,7 @@ int keyIsExpired(redisDb *db, robj *key) {
      * may re-open the same key multiple times, can invalidate an already
      * open object in a next call, if the next call will see the key expired,
      * while the first did not. */
-    else if (server.call_depth > 0) {
+    else if (server.fixed_time_expire > 0) {
         now = server.mstime;
     }
     /* For the other cases, we want to use the most fresh time we have. */
diff --git a/src/server.c b/src/server.c
index caf943f80..ff43a76dc 100644
--- a/src/server.c
+++ b/src/server.c
@@ -2038,7 +2038,7 @@ void initServer(void) {
     server.hz = server.config_hz;
     server.pid = getpid();
     server.current_client = NULL;
-    server.call_depth = 0;
+    server.fixed_time_expire = 0;
     server.clients = listCreate();
     server.clients_index = raxNew();
     server.clients_to_close = listCreate();
@@ -2431,7 +2431,7 @@ void call(client *c, int flags) {
     int client_old_flags = c->flags;
     struct redisCommand *real_cmd = c->cmd;
 
-    server.call_depth++;
+    server.fixed_time_expire++;
 
     /* Sent the command to clients in MONITOR mode, only if the commands are
      * not generated from reading an AOF. */
@@ -2547,7 +2547,7 @@ void call(client *c, int flags) {
         redisOpArrayFree(&server.also_propagate);
     }
     server.also_propagate = prev_also_propagate;
-    server.call_depth--;
+    server.fixed_time_expire--;
     server.stat_numcommands++;
 }
 
diff --git a/src/server.h b/src/server.h
index 8c0ec3809..94b76abb7 100644
--- a/src/server.h
+++ b/src/server.h
@@ -990,7 +990,7 @@ struct redisServer {
     list *clients_pending_write; /* There is to write or install handler. */
     list *slaves, *monitors;    /* List of slaves and MONITORs */
     client *current_client;     /* Current client executing the command. */
-    long call_depth;            /* call() re-entering count. */
+    long fixed_time_expire;     /* If > 0, expire keys against server.mstime. */
     rax *clients_index;         /* Active clients dictionary by client ID. */
     int clients_paused;         /* True if clients are currently paused */
     mstime_t clients_pause_end_time; /* Time when we undo clients_paused */